Senegal Street Children

We are a group of 13 peoples trying to raise funds for the wellness and the future of street kids in senegal called ' Talibés '. These kids have been sent by their parents to people who are using them in order to get money. Those people transform these innocent kids into beggar while they should be at school learning and enjoying their youth.

Dressed in rags whatever the season, whether it's raining, shinning or snowing, they must be there for hours and hours to beg. The majority of the children interviewed share a common feature of a low level of education. Most boys (95%) have never been to school or dropped out of primary school. This trend appears to be in line with the educational level of parents or guardians of children who have never been on the street. More than half of them had never attended school and of those who did, 90% had to drop out of primary school. As a result, the need to survive persists and goes through any means: search the garbage, beg, steal, sweep the trains, polish shoes, do street shows. But they are also exposed to all sorts of dangers: aggression of the elderly, rejection of society, rape, diseases including HIV-AIDS, drugs, prostitution ...

The situation of street children deserves to be invested. Such a dynamic can only be achieved through actions based on solidarity. To be more effective, not only must the geographical area of intervention be targeted, but it also seems appropriate to partner or co-operate with local associations and NGOs in the area of intervention. Thus, some actions can be considered, such as:

- design an awareness program on alcohol consumption in families

- to make pupils aware of the perverse effects of alcoholism on the social and health plans.

- provide counseling to pregnant mothers and sick parents, especially in low-income households

- organize discussion sessions, in city neighborhoods, between workers, volunteers and parents who are economically disadvantaged

- set up a center for the training and rehabilitation of street children

- to develop a mass communication program based on radio, television and the projection of educational films in city districts and villages